Earring



March 17, 1936. c, E, ARNES 034,503

EARRING Original Filed April 5 1935 INVENTQR 471 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 5, 1933, Serial No. 664,477 Renewed August 17, 1935 8 Claims.

This invention relates to ear-rings and has particular reference to an improved securing means which is especially useful in that type of ear-ring in which a screw is provided for exerting a clamping action on the lobe of the car.

As is well known ear-rings are frequently lost and this is especially true of the type in which the ear is not pierced, although even in the types where the ear is pierced, loss is not infrequent due to the fact that the retaining nut gradually works itself loose until finally the ornament is lost.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a threaded clamping device which is positively held in its adjusted position without the least discomfort to the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping device for an ear-ring in which the pressure on the lobe of the ear is evenly distributed throughout the entire area of the clamping pads or plates.

A further object and one which may be said to be incidental to the foregoing resides in the provision of a clamping device which can be more tightly screwed against the lobe of the car without discomfort to the wearer or injury to the skin and one in which there will be no danger of stopping the circulation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means on the clamping pad which will practically eliminate all spiralling or twisting of the flesh during a tightening operation while at the same time offering sufiicient resistance to unscrewing movement to prevent loss of the ornament.

The foregoing objects together with such other objects as may appear hereinafter or are incident to my invention are attained by means of a construction which is illustrated in preferred forms in the accompanying drawing wherein the several figures are drawn to a greatly enlarged scale for the sake of clearness in illustration.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ear-ring embodying my invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are views similar to Figure 1, but with portions shown in cross section to illustrate modified forms of certain portions of the device.

Figures 4 to 10 inclusive are face views of a series of differently shaped pads which can be used with my invention, although I wish it to be understood that many other shapes might be employed.

Figure 11 is a section on the line H-ll of Figure 4 but drawn to an enlarged scale.

In the drawing, it will be seen that I have illustrated a bow or yoke I2 which is adapted to embrace the lobe of the ear l3, the latter being illustrated in dash "and dot lines in Figure 2 only.

One arm of the yoke may be provided with a jewel mounting I4 or with some other suitable supporting part depending upon the type of ornament which the ear-ring is to carry. In Figure 1 a jewel I5 is illustrated.

The other arm of the yoke I2 is provided with the nut portion l6 through which the adjusting screw I1 is adapted to be threaded, the screw 15 carrying at its outer end any suitable knurled turning knob [8 by means of which the wearer can make proper adjustment of the clamping device now to be described.

Fixed to the inner end of the screw I1 and rigid therewith is a suitable clamping pad H! which, in Figure 1, takes the form of a plain fiat member of a shape suitable to the purpose for which it is intended in accordance with the description to follow.

At the back of the mounting l4 and directly opposite to the pad I9 is a similar cooperating pad 20 (still referring to Figure 1) which I prefer to make of substantially the same shape and size as the pad I9.

In Figure 2 the pad [9a is concave toward the ear while the pad 20a is convex, the curvatures of the two pads being substantially the same so that the distance between the pads is substantially uniform throughout their area or extent. 5 In this way there is no point of high pressure on the ear as is now almost universally the case with ear-rings at present on the market where the screw pad, as well as the jewel pad, are each convex toward the ear. With my improvements, as shown particularly in Figure 2, the pressure on the lobe of the ear is uniformly distributed over the entire surface which is clamped between the pads as illustrated somewhat diagrammatically by the dotted parallel lines 2|. It can easily be seen that this uniformity of pressure cannot be obtained in devices where the opposing clamping pads are of different contour.

In Figure 3 the screw pad l9b is convex toward the ear and the jewel pad 20?) is concave to correspond thereto.

Almost any desired contour for the pads can be adopted so long as the opposing faces are substantially uniformly distant from each other throughout their area or extent. The shape of course can be varied to suit the individual ear upon which the ornament is to be worn.

A further feature of my invention resides in the shape or configuration of the clamping pad which is carried by the screw.

Figures 4 to 10 inclusive show various shapes which might be used, but all of them have one feature in common, namely, they are formed so that when pressed into the lobe of the ear they will tend to resist rotation of the screw. For example, in Figure 4, the pad I is of substantially circular form but it has a pair of substantially diametrically opposed V-shaped slots or openings 22. It will be obvious that as the pad is pressed against the lobe of the ear, the tissue of the lobe will be forced slightly into the slots 22. This will tend to positively prevent rotation of the screw after the same has been properly adjusted by the wearer. In order to relieve the possibility of slightly twisting the skin when attaching the ornament, the advancing edge of each of the slots may be turned upwardly or outwardly away from the lobe of the ear as indicated at 23. It is best however not to similarly turn the opposite edge as this would lessen the gripping power of the pad. In removing the ornament the eifect of the opposite edge on the tissue of the ear will not be particularly troublesome because the minute the screw is turned to release the ornament the pressure is immediately relieved.

Figure 5 illustrates a lobed construction similar to Figure 4 except that there are three slots 22 instead of two slots, as in Figure 4.

Figures 6, 8, 9, and 10 illustrate shapes which, while not providing for the rather deeply recessed slots 22 of Figures 4 and 5, yet present sufficient irregularity of outline to produce the same result, i. e., a gripping action which will tend to prevent unscrewing of the screw IT. The advancing edges in the tightening direction are similarly upturned, as indicated by the reference character 23.

Figure 7 illustrates a shape in which the holding effect is obtained by means of a series of holes 24, the advancing edges 23 of which are again upturned as before.

Broadly defined it may be said that all of the forms shown in Figures 4 to 10 inclusive are characterized by the fact that they are provided with areas into which the lobe of the ear may be pressed which areas are located inwardly of a circumference described on the greatest diameter of the pad. In other words, every shape illustrated is provided with what might be termed a lobe receiving area or opening and it is obvious that a very wide variety of shapes might be employed and the present invention should not be limited to any particular shape. Another way of defining the feature involved would be to describe the pad as being formed with at least a portion of its exposed edging non-concentric with the screw. For instance in Figures 4 and 5 the walls of the slot 22 may be said to be nonconcentric with the screw I1. In Figure 8 the sides of the triangle may be said to be nonconcentric with the screw, etc.

It will be understood, of course, that any of the pads illustrated in Figures 4 to 10 inclusive or any other suitable shape which might be adopted can be formed either as a fiat pad such as shown in Figure l, or as a concave pad such as shown in Figure 2, or as a convex pad such as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore both the screw pad and the jewel pad may be similarly formed, although it is. not necessary to provide the jewel pad with a corresponding shape or with corresponding recesses.

It will be seen therefore that my improvements provide for a much firmer grip upon the car so that loss will be reduced to a minimum. At the same time, greater comfort will be afiorded to the wearer because of the evenness of pressure and the absence of a twisting or pulling effect upon the skin.

What I claim is:-

1. An ear-ring of the screw securing type characterized by the fact that the screw pad is rigid on the. screw and is formed to provide an opening into which the lobe of the ear is adapted to extend whereby resistance to unscrewing is afforded.

2. An ear-ring of the screw securing type characterized by the fact that the screw pad is rigid on the screw and is formed to provide an opening into which the lobe of the ear is adapted to extend whereby resistance to unscrewing is afforded, the advancing edge of the opening, as the screw is tightened, being curved or beveled outwardly away from the plane of the lobe.

3. An ear-ring of the screw securing type characterized by the fact that the screw pad is rigid on the screw and is formed with at least a portion of its ear engaging edge non-concentric with the screw.

4. In an ear-ring of the screw securing type, the combination of opposed gripping pads of substantially the same cross sectional contour with the screw pad rigid on the screw and formed to provide areas into which the lobe of the ear may be pressed, said areas being located inwardly of a circumference described on the greatest diameter of the pad.

5. In an ear-ring of the screw securing type, the combination of opposed gripping pads of substantially uniform cross sectional contour with the screw pad rigid on the screw and formed with at least a portion of its ear engaging edge nun-concentric with the screw.

6. An ear-ring of the screw securing type characterized by the fact that the screw pad is rigid on the screw and of lobed shape.

7. An ear-ring of the screw securing type characterized by the fact that the screw pad is rigid on the screw and of polygonal shape.

8. An ear-ring of the screw securing type characterized by the fact that the screw pad is rigid on the screw and provided with perforations.

CHARLES E. BARNES. 

